Key-cutting machine.



A. E. SUTLIFF.

KEY`CUTTING MACHINE. APPLICATION mgm Nov. a. 1913. nENEwEn Dec. 31.1914.

Amy/mers A. E. suTLlFF.

KEY CUTTING MAQHINE.` APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. |913. RENEWED DEC. 3l, 1914.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

3V SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MMIII *42%.

WITNESS/:"8

mum PLANOURAPM co..WASH NGTON. n

By f1 TTU/MIE YS A. E. suTLiFF.

KEY CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.3.1913. RENEwED 050.31.1914.

1,156,642. jPatented 001;.' 915.

narran 1.'sTAIfE-s ARCHIBALD sTnI'Fr, or sYRAC'U'snNW Yoan, AssIeNoe 'To snaai-NT 'ce' COMPANY, 0F N'EW'HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

KEY-CUTTING'MAC/HINE.

Specification of Letters VPatent.

Application filed November 3, 1913, Serial No. 798,909. Renewed December 31', 1914. Serial No. 879,959.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD E. SUTLIFF, a citizen o-f the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Key-Cutting Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to special metal working machinery and h as particular reference to means for quicklyand accurately cutting or shaping keys for door locks or the like. 4

Among the objects of the invention is to` produce a machine operated or controlled by hand, whereby the manager or superintendent of a building, for example, having a number of locks, may easily and readily keep such locks supplied `with keys. Y

A further-ob'ect of the invention is to produce a cutting machine for the making of keys whereby the notches are not only easily and quickly cut but are formed with their bottoms on arcs of circles drawn from the center of the shank or aXis of rotation of the key, whereby-the key is rendered easier of operation than when formed by the usual process and also prevents damagetov the lock by breakage or abrasion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the class set forth having an arbor to which are detachably clamped any desired arrangementy or com'- bination of circular saws for the formation of a key having notches of a depth corresponding tothe specification of the particular lock to be fitted.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed andillustrated in theA drawings Aforming a vpart of this specifica- .tion in which like characters of reference indicatek corresponding parts in all the views, and in Whicl1v Figure l is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of this invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relation of the key bit to the pathr of the saw teeth; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. L is a broken plan view illustrating the position of the key and the manner of holding itin place on the bed plate; Fig. 5 ,is a

. vertical transverse section on the line 51?-5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6 isa vertical section corretailed 4plan Vview of `the bedplate for supportingthe key While sawingV the grooves;

Fig. S is a corresponding view of the upper member' of the key-holding clamp; and Fig.

V9 is a diagrammaticview of a modification Patented oet. I2, 1915.

of means foroperating the key lwhile being The several partslofthe device maybe made of ,any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as well as the general design of themechanism, may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the inventionl hereinaftermo-re fully set forth cally claimed.

At 1 0 Ik show a rigid supportingbase adaptedto be secured in placefirmly as upon a bench orthe like and journaled in denite position thereon is a horizontal. shaft Aand specifior arbor 11, bearings l2 of any suitable nature being employed forjsupporting it. one end of saidshaft'is secured a means for rotating the shaft, suchmeans being indicated by Way of illustration as. a crank 13.

It will be understood, however, that any f 1 suitable driving means may be employed for this purpose. At the other end o f the shaft is arranged a cutting head M -comprising a series ofdisks kor circular cutters 1 5A and blanks 16. These 'disks are' secured detachably toA the arbor by means of clamping yplates 17 secured in place by means of a nut l1.8. While I show the use of three circular saws and two blank disks 16, I vvish it tobe understood that thisl illustration may be subl .ject to variation in accordance with the specification or scheme of the locks pertaining to any building or t system for which the machine yis adapted. More specifically, the

common practice is forthe house to bepro- -I' yvided vvith a key scheme or schedule de scribing alock for eachroom with reference particularly to the number and-.depth of the notches in the keylbit adapted to fit such particular lock. It being Well known that hotel guests Yer-.v ,frequently take vthihenl Athe keysbelonging to the rooirls occupied them and it being also well knovvnj that-j the manager Qf-.su@hh9tel.is real-)fired tekeer madera` locksttee with keys furthe .use

of succeeding guests, it follows that much trouble and expense are caused from the loss of keys in the manner just stated.

Associated with the base of the machine is a bed plate 19, shown best in Fig. 5, including an anchor abutting against the main portion of the base 10 and beneath the top 10 of the same. Said bed plate therefore occupies a definite position with respect to the base and the power shaft 11. r1`his position is Ymaintained at the end opposite the anchor 2O by means of'awedge 21 extending lthrough a hole 19 in the bed plate and engaging against one edge of the top of Vthe base 10. Said bed plate has secured to it a key holding clamp comprising upper and lower members 22 and 23. r1`he member 23 is preferably secured permanently to the bed plate 19 and is provided with a transverse groove 23 to receive a shank 24 Y of the key.

The bit 25 of the key is adapted to project upwardly through the slot 26 in the upper clamp plate 22, said member 22 also having a groove 22 registering with the lower groove 23 whereby the key is held in denite position with respect to its axis. In other words, the axis of the key is held in 4 fixed position but the key itself is adapted les to rotate through an angle of approximately k90 degrees around such axis, as shown in Figs. v2 and 4, while being cut, the slot26 being wide enough in one direction to just 4 receive the bit of the key whereby the key is held in definite position longitudinally of its axis and is wide enough in the other direction to permit the desired rotation of the key. The upper clamp member 22 is secured detachably in place upon the lower member by means of anyl suitable quick-acting device vherein typified by a screw 27. It will be seen, therefore, that with the bed plate secured in definite position with respect to the base and with the clamp members 22 and 23 secured likewise in definite position upon the bed plate, the key locked within the grooves 22 and 23 with its bit 25 projecting upwardly through the slot 26 will always bear a definite relation to the cutters 15, and the cutters are so arranged as to vary in diameter in accordance with the respec tive depths of notches of the key bit.

Any suitable means may be employed to rotate the key around its axis while the bit notches are being cut, and for this purpose I provide a lever 28 having a notch 29 at its lower end for engagement with the hilt 30 of the key. As a convenient and reliable "6b means for manipulating the lever 28 so as to movethe key gradually around its axis, I connect the upper or outer end of the lever to a spindle 31. Said spindle is provided with a knob 32 asa convenient means for rotating it within the end of the lever. A pinion 33 is arranged for engagement with a fixed arc-shaped rack 34C having its center concentric with the axis of the key and secured at its bottom to the base 10. lThe pinion 33 is provided with a flange 35 whereby it is guided along the rack. By the operator turning the knob 32 the pinion is caused to advance slowly along the rack and thereby feed the lever slowly around the axis of the key, causing the key to turn as shown in Fig. 2 and bringing the bit of the key into engaging position with respect to the circular saws 15. The bottoms of the notches, therefore, that are cut by the saws will be rounded or convex with reference to the axis of the key, the center of curvature coinciding with the axis of the key. It follows that since the feeding of the key into coperation with the saws may be performed gradually and slowly, the key bit is not only cut but smoothly finished by such saws all in a simple and comparatively quick operation. The spindle 31 extends through a slot 29 of the lever 28 whereby the lever may be given a certain longitudinal movement independently of the means for actuating the lever.

Frein the description of the Amechanism above given it will be understood that in order to make a key for a certain specified lock according to the scheme of the building, the cutters 15 or any number of them are selected and arranged by number according to the arrangement' or depth of the notches to be formed in the key bit. These cutters are then secured in place in the manner described. The key blank of standard form or size is then secured in place in the clamp 22, 23, and `the lever 28 and actuator for controlling it are caused to move the key around its axisv and the key will be quickly finished so far as the notches are concerned.

After the notches are cut it is necessary to' cut one or more grooves longitudinally along the sides or faces of the bit, and this is accomplished in the same machine by the use of a groove cutter 36 clamped to the sameshaft 11. Said cutter may be single, double, or any other form according to the arrangement of the grooves to be cut, and the key for this purpose is clamped in a movable bed plate 19a to which is secured a clamp comprising membersv 22a and 23u having the same general relation to the bed plate as the correspondingV clamp members above described, but adapted to hold the key in a substantially flat position and at right angles to the manner of holding when the bit notches are being cut. More specifically, the clamp member 23al is in the nature of a matrix having a seat 23b to fit and receive the key blank, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the upper portion of the blank extending above the upper surface of the member 23a. The upper member 22a is provided with a slot 22b above the key bit-through which the cutter' i means.

36 extends for the purpose of cutting the groove or grooves while the bed plate 19 is pushed longitudinally by hand or other It will be understood also that the groove cutting devices for the key will be arranged so as to accommodate the grooving on either or both sides of the bit.

The modification of Fig. 9 contemplates the employment of a gear or gear segment 28 which, instead of the lever 28, is adapted to control the position of the key as to its movements around its axis, said gear segment being mounted for partial rotation around the axis of the key. A pinion 33 is mounted upon a fixed axis 34 and meshes with the gear segment Q8 whereby, when the pinion is rotated by the knob 32, the keywill be caused to move around its axis substantially the same as above described in connection with Figs. 3 and It will be understood from the foregoing description that by my new method of cutting the notches in the edges of key blanks,

the cutting or abrading action is carried.

across the narrow surface or edge of the blank, and notches the blank almost as deeply at the other side face as at the first side face. Then as the operation is further continued, the cutter continues to pass through the notch so that on the second side face of the bit to be cut away, the notch is deepened to the same extent as at the first side face. The result is that the notching of the bit is considerably facilitated, and the bottom of the notch will have a convex curvature on an arc drawn approximately from the center of the key axis, as pre-V viously described. In the broad aspects of the invention, it is obviously unessential that the axis of rotation of the notcli-forming element be stationary, and that thel key be movable relative to said element. Obviously, the arrangement could be reversed by making the cutter or notch-forming element movable with respect to the key, without departing from the broad principle of the invention. In either case the'movable part moves or turns about the axis of the key as a center. Various changes in other particulars may also be made without digressing from the scope of the claims.,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a base, means to secure a key in definite position upon the base, said'securing means permitting, however, a certain amount of rotation of the key around its axis, a rokey bit is adapted to project upwardly, al

rotary cutting device, means to rotate the cutting device and maintain the same in definiteV position with respect to the key clamping devices, and a hand rcontrolled actuator serving to rotate thekey slowly and gradually while being cut. i

3. Ina key cutting device, the combination of a base, a rotary cutting device jour# naled upon the base, means to operate the cuttingdevice, a key clamping device adj acent the cutting device serving to hold a key in definite axial position with respect to the cutting device, and a hand controlledactuatoi servingto `rotate they key WhileV being cut, said actuatorincluding an arc-shaped rack having its center coaxial with the key, and means operating over ksaid rack and having loose engagement with the hiltl of the key.

4. In a key cutting machine, the combination of means to secure a key with its axis in fixed position, rotary cutting devices cooperating with the key bit, and means to rotate the key around its fixed axis while being cut by said cutting devices, whereby the cut surfaces are formed on arcs having centers coincident with the axis of the key.

5. A key cutting machine comprising a base, a shaft journaled on said base and carrying a cutter, means for holding a part of the key in fixed relati onto the base, and means for swingingthe key with respect to said cutter, while it is being cut thereby; substantially as described.

6. The combination of a base, means to clamp a key to the base with the axis of said key in a fixed position'relative to the base, a cutter lmounted on the base, and means for moving the key on its axis relative to said cutter; substantially as described.'

7. The herein-described key cutting machine comprising a base, a bed plate associated with the` base and arranged transversely thereof, a shaft extending longitudinally of the base, and over the bed plate, a cutter on said `shaft over the bed plate, and means to clamp the key in a fixed position on the bed plate, in which it is secured against bodily movement relative to the bed plate and base, said key being rotatable into ioo engagement with said cutter; substantially as described.

8. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a base, means to secure a key in definite position on the base, said securing means permitting, however, a certain amount of rotation of the key around its axis, and a cutting device on the base adapted to act upon the key bit; substantially as described.

9. In a key cutting machine, the combination of means to secure a key with its axis in a fixed position, and a rotary cutting device supported in proximity to the key bit, such key being rotatable about its axis, while being cut by said cutting device; substantially as described.

10. In a key cutting machine, the combination of means to secure the key in a delinite position, and means to form in the edge of the key bit a notch having a convex bottom, the curvature of which corresponds substantially to an arc concentric with the key axis; substantially as described.

ll. In a key cutting` machine, the combination of a rotary cutting device, and means to rotate a key around its own axis while being cut by said device; substantially as described.

'12. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a cutter, adapted to cut a key, and means mounting one of said members movably with respect to the other, so that it can turn about the axis of the key as a center; substantially as described.

13. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a rotary cutter having a peripheral cutting surface, for cutting a key, and means for mounting one of said members so that it can swing about the key axis during the cutting operation; substantially as described.

14. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, adapted to cut a key, and means for mounting the key so that it can swing 0n its axis into engagement with said cutter; substantially as described.

15. In a key cutting machine, the combination of a rotary cutter having a peripheral cutting edge for cutting a notch in a key, means for ixedly mounting one of said members, and means mounting the other of said members so that it can swing about the longitudinal axis of the key as a center during the notching operation; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD E. SUTLIFF.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. JoNEs, HENRY E. EATON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

